


You're But a Stranger to Me

by Dayz_who_that



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, F/M, I already hate myself for writing it, I didn't even ask for it, Kiss Kiss Fall in Love, amity is a barista at luz's fav cafe, don't hate me please, it is not the ending you'll expect!, no one asked for it but i wrote it anyways, strangers to lovers but with a twist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:27:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28859565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dayz_who_that/pseuds/Dayz_who_that
Summary: Told from Luz's POV for the entire story. Amity is a cute barista that Luz fell for. Their relationship isn't what it will seem, though. One shot of the strangers to lovers AU but with a heck of a twist I hope.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17





	You're But a Stranger to Me

Luz’s POV

* * *

There’s this really cute barista that works at my favorite café.

“Welcome to The Sleepy Owl! What can I get you today?”

I gulped. This was my first encounter with her, with many more to come. How could I ever forget her face, the very one that made my cheeks red and heart clench? I stuttered through my order and, after I paid, went to the bathroom to calm myself down. Love had a funny way of working in the universe. You never know when it’ll strike, but when it does – and does correctly – you need to hold on tight to that person. _Never, ever let them go._ If they get separated from you, the red string of fate will lead you back into their arms. I straightened up my appearance in the bathroom mirror before heading back out.

Near the immaculate windows seated a booth. I sat down there, awaiting my food. A few minutes of people watching passed; I thought I saw a cute dog but it was just a white trash bag rustling in the wind. Sighing, I glanced over at the kitchen, wondering how much longer I would need to sit still. That’s when she walked over with a serving tray piled with my order.

“Sorry for the hold-up. Here are your plates and your drink. Please ask me or any of the other waiters if you need anything else. Enjoy your food!”

“Thanks, you too!” I responded automatically. She smirked, then went off to serve others. I smacked myself in the face. Real smooth, Noceda. Real smooth.

I waved aside my stupid mistake and took a bite of the pastry. Oh my heavenly goddess. I could’ve snarfed down the entire plate had I not been in a public setting. With every mouthful, I melted into the buttery crispness and dark chocolate. This was the best thing I’ve tasted in a year.

“How’s everything going?”

Her sudden appearance made me choke on my drink. I coughed and might have spit some coffee out. Oops. She apologized profusely for startling me and offered to clean up the spill.

“No, no need,” I gasped. “I made the mess; I can clean it.”

“Are you sure? I was the one who caused you to make this mess.” She tucked a strand of pastel green hair behind a sharp ear, distressed. Her earrings were very pretty. Reaching into her apron, she brought out a stack of paper towels. “Here use this. I can always grab some more if you need them.”

“Thank you. I think I’ll be fine.”

She nodded halfheartedly, clearly still thinking about her fault.

“Hey, don’t sweat it. You can just give me a free drink and we’ll be even,” I joked.

“O-oh, ok.”

My bill came back with no charge on it. I furrowed my eyebrows and carefully reexamined the receipt. On the back was a scribbled note.

[ _It’s on the house :) have a great day! - A_ ]

It didn’t take long for me to completely fall head over heels for her pensive golden eyes. And by long, I mean a week. I aligned our schedules so that she would always be the one taking my order, and when she didn’t come into work, my entire day would be thrown off. My mind would be everywhere yet nowhere, as all my thoughts consisted of her.

Today was no different. The familiar jingle of the doorbell sounded once I walked through, alerting the employees of The Sleepy Owl of my presence. I searched for the person I desired the most and spotted her green hair at the cash register. No amount of hiding could stop me from finding her. With a dorky grin, I strode over.

“Hello, Miss Noceda. Same blend to-go as usual?” Her voice was as silky as the coffee she served and as smooth as the caramel she used. A slight grin tugged at her lips, probably wondering why this was my third time coming in this morning. I don’t even know why myself. My feet just happen to take me here when I get frustrated or angry or lonely. Then, miraculously, she would make it all better.

“Yes please,” I said, already breathless. “You’re looking as radiant as ever.”

Her laugh. Her goddam laugh. It rocked me to the core of my feelings, causing the cocoon inside my stomach to burst open with butterflies. I loved it.

“Thank you, Miss Noceda. You’re not looking too shabby yourself. I like your hairclip; it’s very cute on you.”

By now, I should be immune to her words. We’ve had the same conversation every time: I enter, she welcomes me and asks for my order; I say she looks good, she returns the compliment. Yet, somehow, during every encounter, she manages to leave a powerful attack combo on my heart. I quickly pay for my food – nearly knocking over the tip jar on the counter – and leave before I spill my guts to her in a badly worded confession. My legs shook and I couldn’t walk straight to my normal spot in the café. (It was a strategic location, meaning I could not only distract myself by looking out the window at the busy city, but I could also admire her from a distance.)

She knew my favorite by heart, and I couldn’t help but stare at her every time she made my drink. Another employee - Willow, I think – tapped her on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear while eyeing my general direction. She lit up in response and excitedly said something back, then suddenly turned to look at me. We made eye contact for much longer than a casual glance. I blushed furiously and busied myself with a piece of wrapper left on the table from the previous customer.

What had Willow said that made her so happy? I chewed on a black straw, mulling over different scenarios that could have happened.

“Vanilla latte with a dash of cinnamon, drizzle of caramel, and some chocolate flakes for Luz Noceda?” I was brought back to reality at the sound. I always loved it when she said my name. She made me sound worthy.

I took my cup and looked at her. She winked, then went back to making more drinks. My heart fluttered a bit, even if it was just a small gesture. I rubbed my thumb on the label and noticed something else besides my order and name.

[ _My number. Text me <3 - A_]

Beneath the message was a string of numbers. I gasped and tried to look for an explanation from her, but she disappeared from the front of the store. My cheeks burned and I couldn’t hear anything besides the pounding drum that was my heart. I saved the contact on my phone and messaged her a question regarding if I had the right person. A smiley face was all I got in return. For the rest of the day, I had a lovestruck expression on my face as I flitted from place to place, riding on cloud nine.

Turns out, she was as smart and humorous as she was beautiful. So, very. I pounced on my phone the second I got a message from her. Talking to her more often definitely made me slip further down the crushing hole of love. It felt glorious, though.

The very next day I was inside the café the second it opened for shop. Her shift today would only be in the morning for three hours before she went home for the rest of the evening. She was putting on a gray apron when I saw her. Her hair was tied up in a different style, showing off her neat undercut. I think I drooled.

“Oh, good morning Miss Noceda,” she called out. “You’re early. I still need to set up the machines and everything.”

_Ok, ask her out, self. While no one else is around._

“Blurrf.”

I mentally smacked myself in the forehead repeatedly. She didn’t seem fazed.

“I’ll get your order ready in a minute. Hopefully, my teammates will show up on time to speed up the work. Mind keeping me company for now?”

My neck snapped from the whiplash. I had never agreed to something so fast. She chuckled at my enthusiasm, or at least I hoped it was my enthusiasm. Was there something on my face? I double-checked. Nope, nothing.

“I like the stickers you use. They are very cute.”

“W-what?” I asked, because I’m smart like that.

“The stickers you use while you’re texting. Where did you get the cat bundle?”

Something finally clicked in place. Thanks, brain, for coming to the rescue. “Oh! Those stickers. I just, ahem, got them from a keyboard app. I could get you the link if you want. Everything is free.”

“That would be very nice,” she said. “I’d like that.”

It grew silent. I didn’t know what else to bring up. We talked about everything yesterday, now I can’t seem to think of anything. A soft hum filled the air to ease the awkwardness, then her quiet voice as she started to sing. It was an old song – _You Belong With Me_ by Taylor Swift – that I loved to listen to on Spotify. I thought that no one could top the artist in her own singing, but Taylor Swift would need to take a step back.

Her voice washed over me in a comforting wave of warmth. I could fall asleep to the sound alone. She raised an eyebrow, almost as if she were waiting for me to join in. I played the tune in my head and tried to sing along. It was off-beat at first, but I slowly found my confidence and we harmonized perfectly at some parts. She gave me an encouraging smile. When the final chorus arrived, I was belting out the lyrics like I was at a karaoke party and not a café.

We ended on a crisp note. I was panting and holding onto a bundle of straw as my microphone. A roar of cheers and hollers of approval scared me. It was only then when I realized the crowd that had formed in the café. And I was standing on top of a table with the napkins kicked on the floor.

I immediately climbed down, embarrassed, and hid my face. Another employee came over to clean up the mess I made. Everyone else resumed their normal business. I wanted to die.

“Vanilla latte with a dash of cinnamon, drizzle of caramel, and some chocolate flakes for Luz Noceda?” It wasn’t her who called my name.

Dejected, I stood up from my seat to pick up my coffee and ended up face to face with the one and only Amity Blight.

“ASJLASDK-!!”

I would’ve fallen back had Amity not steadied me with a hand.

“Careful, Miss Noceda. I don’t think The Sleepy Owl can cover your health insurance if you break a bone.”

The whimper I made when she touched me was embarrassing enough, but I just had to stammer out something incoherent. “W-wha, you-you. Here, with, me. Me. Mickey Mouse,” I blurted out. My hand almost hit Amity as I slapped my mouth shut.

“Take her out of here, Blight! I can’t have her scaring my other customers.” The boss snickered. Willow mouthed something along the lines of “go on a date” but how should I know; I couldn’t focus on anything but Amity. She rolled her eyes at the statement but smiled and looked back at me.

“Do you have anything else planned for this afternoon?”

I opened my mouth to exclaim “no” but nothing came out except for a squeak. I shook my head instead.

“Great. My shift’s over early. Do I have permission to ask you out?”

“God, yes.” My tongue worked again. Hurray.

“Then shall we?” She held out her hand. I grabbed it after a split second of hesitating.

“Let’s.”

\--

“So, where to first?” Amity’s car was a sleek black Mustang with engines as loud as a rock concert. I had to holler to be heard over the noise.

“Uhm, I don’t know? How do dates usually go?”

She pursed her lips in concentration. “Shopping, movies, one-night stand.”

The look on my face must have been priceless because Amity burst out in a fit of giggles. I stared at her in shock.

“Too soon?” she asked, her voice teasing me.

I nodded. “Er, maybe a little.”

“Sorry. We can do the first two on the list?”

I nodded again while my insides were bouncing off the walls in anticipation. Never would I ever have guessed that I would be cruising down the road with Amity Blight to the Nesteria on a date. It was a lot to process. All I knew was that I was very happy and I was very excited.

Shopping was first. I didn’t have much money to spend anyways so it was mostly just admiring items and trying them on without any intentions of buying them. Amity, on the other hand, was having a blast. I hadn’t realized underneath her carefree character hid a childish impulsion to do whatever.

“Look at that! I need it. I must have it.” She pointed towards a golden headband with jewel-ebbed cat ears. Trying it on, Amity looked back at me for approval. Of course, everything was perfect on her to me. While I rummaged through the clearance bin for something, anything, she went to pay for her newly found obsession.

“Miss Noceda!”

I turned around. “You don’t need to call me something so formal. Just Luz is fine- “ and something slipped on my head.

“Now we’re matching!” she announced with pride.

I looked at a mirror and, lo and behold, we were matching. “Y-you didn’t need to get me a pair.”

“Hmm, but I wanted to,” Amity said without a hint of remorse. “Let’s go to Hexphora! I need some new blush. Also, I can style you up, Luz~”

If I hadn’t been holding onto the clothes rack, I would’ve fallen to the floor in a shaking mess of gay. I clenched my hands. My name sounded a hundred times sexier coming out of her mouth in that tone. Oh, if only she would call me that every day. Then I could die knowing I did my part on earth.

“S-sure, lead the way.”

After Amity bought another bag full of makeup supplies, she pushed me into the mall bathroom.

“Where?” I tried to ask. Amity just grinned and shoved me into a suffocating stall. The door locked shut. I ended up sitting on the toilet cover.

“You always come into the café with the same look. Although you’re very cute nonetheless, you have to mix it up a bit sometimes!”

I had to sit in silence for a while to process the words. “You think I’m cute?”

“Very. Hold still and try not to sneeze!”

Amity leaned in really, really close to my face. A little too close for my social anxiety. I closed my eyes and gripped the toilet, making sure I wasn’t shaking too badly. A soft brush dabbed at my cheek. My breath hitched. Oh god, wasn’t this a great way to die? Trapped in the bathroom with your crush who’s giving you a makeover. I don’t know what was more embarrassing: my face as it scrunched up at any contact, or the noises I made when Amity said “good girl” in my ear.

“…And done. Take a look, Luz.” Amity held up a mirror. I released the breath I was holding in and opened an eye. OH,

“WOW!” My eyes flew open at the transformation. Who was this person in the reflection? “How did you do this? I don’t even look like me anymore!”

Amity laughed. “What?? You’ve never used makeup before? This is just a light coat. If I had my stash from home I could’ve turned you into a fairy or something.” When she shifted her body, I realized she was sitting on my lap. That made her a little bit taller than me. She stopped talking and we held eye contact. I slowly lifted a hand and cupped her face.

“Can I please kiss you?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Amity blushed but her endearing smirk never wavered. She grabbed my hoodie and closed the gap in one fluid motion. Cue the flower petals falling from the sky. Cue the romantic music playing on the speakers. And cue me almost dying again in a gay panic. If I had known this kiss would feel so good, I would’ve kissed her the first time I saw her.

She broke off the kiss for air. “Does that answer your question?”

My mind swirled. I didn’t even remember who I was anymore, let alone a question from seconds ago. Without thinking, I pulled her in again. She let out a small gasp but quickly melted into the affection. How long we stayed in there embracing the other I will never say out loud. Just imagine that we missed our movie tickets an hour later. That should be enough to satisfy you fanatics.

Our daily routine changed drastically after that incident. We weren’t exactly dating, but it sure as hell felt like we were.

Instead of going to The Sleepy Owl every few hours, I would time my entrance perfectly and catch her right before her shift ended. Amity made the drink or snack or whatever I was craving that moment, and then she would take her leave and – quite literally – jump over the counter to walk out with me. Sometimes she would leave a few minutes before her work actually ended, and Willow would yell at her to come back and finish the job. Amity just stuck out a tongue in return and dragged me out of the shop.

“Luz, kiss.” I happily obliged to her command. Her lips were soft with a hint of citrus flavoring from her lipstick. Amity pulled me back in again for another round. I wasn’t complaining.

\--

_“What do you mean?” Amity held her head, shaking it in disbelief. “I, I don’t understand! You have to leave the state?”_

_Her trembling voice cracked my heart, but there was no other way around it. “I’m sorry, Amity. I wish I could stay. Heck, I would find a way to stay if I could. But my job… I wouldn’t be able to do my job as your girlfriend without an income.”_

_She softly muttered no on repeat. I grabbed her head and hugged her until she couldn’t breathe, as if that was already the last time I would see her ever again._

_“Luz, please, stay with me. I-I can’t leave my home so I can’t go with you. You don’t even need to worry about money; I can take care of it all! Just… don’t leave me. I can’t live without you.” She sniffled and a tear fell from her red cheeks onto the pavement floor below. Rain started to pour down from the heavens above, drenching us completely. I took off my jacket to shield some of the droplets. Amity sank to the ground and wept. Puddles formed under our shoes. My socks were wet and it felt disgusting, but that feeling was nowhere near the pain I felt as I somberly looked at her. My light in the darkness succumbed to despair and turned black as well. Her face seemed to drip away with the rain._

_“I loved you,” she warbled, water in her throat._

I woke up with a gasp, my bedsheets soaked from sweat. Not that dream again. I threw up from the nostalgia. It was a year after that night. I would never forget how her golden eyes lost their shine, or how her usual cheerful demeanor hardened into stone.

I was in an entirely different country, far, far away from her. Even though I was financially well off, I couldn’t bring myself to move back. Not after the damage I had done. She was blocked off from all my social media. I couldn’t even bear to listen to her voice again. Whenever her perfect face came up in my head, I would find myself tearing up. It was terrible. I was terrible.

The rest of my day was mundane. I ate breakfast and watched TV. I went to work and typed some stuff. I returned home and cried myself to sleep. Like I always do, ever since I came here.

The feeling of emptiness consumed my waking hours and at nights the same nightmare replayed itself over and over until I woke up and repeated the same process again.

Most people react to loneliness by talking to someone they trust. They confide in a family member or friend, hoping to either seek out a solution or get lost in a conversation to forget about the problem. Yet the only person I trust enough was pushed away by my own hands. Ironic doesn’t even begin to explain how everything feels right now. My own actions landed me here. I’m sinking in a pool of my own worries, caused by my own worries. 

I decided not to waste time tossing and turning through the night. My head pounded from the coursing blood and there was no way I could break this cycle of depression by just laying around. I got up, threw on a sweater – it was chilly out, and unlocked the door to my new apartment.

“Luz?”

The very same person that hounded my nightmares stood a flight of stairs below me. She ran up collided into my stunned body, holding onto me, feeling me as if to assure herself I was real and not just a part of her imagination. Then she slapped me. It was the least I deserved.

“I-“ I began, but her lips were on mine. She pushed me against my door and wouldn’t let go. Her hands found their way down my scrawny body and into my pockets. I inhaled a sharp breath.

We kissed until the morning sun, to make up for all the loss from before. Our eyes were bloodshot and our cheeks were damp. The salty aftertaste of tears left an imprint on my tongue. She stopped moving and I felt her breathing slow down. My name echoed through the building as she continued to ask for me. I brought her inside my room, cleaned her up, then left for work. A note was left by the bed for her to see when she woke up. I told her to wait for me. I would be back before 2 in the afternoon.

The bed was empty by the time I ran home. Heaving from sprinting up the stairs, I collapsed to the carpet beside the place I left her. My note was opened and read. Another paper was beside it. Did I want to read it?

I bit my lip, hard. I had to.

[ _Luz._

_Out of all the words in the English language, I can’t string together how much I hate that I still want you, even though it’s been so long apart. We weren’t officially together, but I wanted us to be. Being with you felt perfect enough as it was._

_When you suddenly said you had to go, every single part of me wanted to go with you. I couldn’t, no matter how much I wanted to. I’m sorry I didn’t reveal to you this part of me before, but my family had me engaged with someone I never met the day I turned 15. The day I first saw you come in was the best day of my life._

_I can’t talk to you. I can’t pretend I know you. Last night I was just so sick of stumbling around the world blinded that I lost control. And I’m sorry for misleading you once more. We could never be together in the first place._

_-Amity M. Blight._

_P.S. I love you._ ]

There were dried up teardrops burned into the paper, my own now added to the reservoir.

Even though I didn’t want to, I stalked her on social media. She had pictures of her and her new lover. An engagement ring shone brightly on her finger. They seemed so happy, so lost in each other’s embrace. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t be me.

Days passed. Then a week. Then another. I just sat on the floor of my dirty apartment, a shock in my faded eyes. My boss laid me off and told me to go home. So I did.

I returned to my hometown, the same one she still lived in. The Sleepy Owl was still there, and she still worked as a cashier and waitress. The only difference was she shared kisses and held hands with a man during break times. I pushed past the door and walked in.

There’s this really cute barista that works at my favorite café.

And no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t ask her out.

She saw me the second the bell jingled. Her eyes widened as if she had seen a ghost. I didn’t look that different, did I? She shook her head a few times, as if to clear her memories, and put on a fake smile.

“Welcome to The Sleepy Owl! What can I get you today?”

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to comment on how much you want to throw your device across the wall after completion, or if you didn't feel anything at all. I'm doing a scientific experiment on this.


End file.
